There are many prior patents relating to retro-reflective assemblies. Typical of such patents are U.S. Pat No. 2,948,191 to Hodgeson, Jr. et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,190,178 to McKenzie; U.S. Pat. No. 4,123,140 to Ryan et al and U.S. Pat. No. 4,025,159 to McGrath. The basic structure employed in the prior art comprises a base member having a contiguous layer of exposed retro-reflective elements contained in the surface thereof, with or without a network of upstanding supports, generally without interconnected linear ridges, being a part of the base member but forming discrete divided areas of retro-reflective glass beads at the time the transparent encapsulating film is applied to the base member using heat and embossing pressure acting on the thermo-plastic material in which the retro-reflective elements are held to effect a thermo-plastic bond with the transparent encapsulating film; this bond being sensitive to the temperature used in subsequent processing and use. The completion of the encapsulating step by the application of a transparent thermo-plastic material has necessarily dictated the employment of heat and pressure to effect the bonding. It is well known that there are a number of desirable transparent thermo-setting or thermo-plastic materials which could be utilized as the encapsulating element of a retro-reflective assembly if heat and pressure bonding were not essential, and, more importantly, it is desirable that the assembly of the transparent sheet be accomplished without the application of substantial heat and pressure because this invariably results in a ripple or wave effect being imparted to the outer surface. The ripple effect makes the outer surface far more receptive to accumulating deposits of dust or dirt, and more difficult to clean.